


I Want To Be Useful To You

by NotSoHotsuin



Category: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Hugs, M/M, crippling insecurity, just... a little..., little angst, nothing past day 3 though, spoilers for day 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 14:01:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11254410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotSoHotsuin/pseuds/NotSoHotsuin
Summary: Daichi was starting to wonder just how much of a burden he had to be to put his best friend through so much trouble.A conversation that leads to a satisfying conclusion.





	I Want To Be Useful To You

As soon as Hibiki heard Daichi volunteer to deliver packages for JP’S, he got a bad feeling in his stomach. Not because Daichi could not take care of himself, Daichi was very capable of holding his own, but Hibiki feared the worst whenever one of them was off all alone. Why was it always Daichi that ended up running off anyways? As it turned out, Daichi got kidnapped, and that caused all kinds of worry. Not to upset Io or Joe, he tried to keep calm in order to guide them along. As if things could not get worse in their search, Daichi later appeared in a death video next to Jungo, and Hibiki could feel his heart stop for a moment.   
  
_Not again._   
  
_Don’t make me go through this again._   
  
Thankfully, they managed to reach Daichi in time, and the crisis was averted. It took all the strength in Hibiki’s body not to grab Daichi by the shoulders and shake him silly. Io was slow on operation cardboard box, so Hibiki took it upon himself to free his best friend. Was he just supposed to sit by and rely on someone else to do it for him? If he did not act as fast, he might come to regret it later. It was better to be safe than sorry. Hibiki wanted to both scold Daichi until he got the message and hug him until he felt more calm. Daichi was visibly on edge the entire time, and the rest of the group did very little to help since they were focused on preparing to take back the Nagoya branch. Hibiki took time out of his own schedule to visit Daichi before they jumped into another fight. It felt necessary to help him feel safe again. While he may have suddenly been appointed leader of their group, he did not want to be a leader in this specific case. He just wanted to be the best friend that would hear Daichi out and urge him to keep fighting. For their safety, and for their future.   
  
_I can’t do this without you, so pull yourself together._   
  
Hibiki thought of sneaking up on him just to poke fun, but that action might have seemed a little premature with everything he’d gone through. Instead, he placed his hand on Daichi’s shoulder. The sudden action still had Daichi jump slightly, but he quickly calmed down when he turned and noticed that it was Hibiki that had come to spend time with him. Daichi did not really think anyone would follow him to the park, but was relieved to see Hibiki by his side.   
  
“Some useful asset I was. Try and try, and I still fail.” He did not waste his breath chit-chatting. It almost felt as if he owed Hibiki an apology for not being a more competent fighter.   
“That’s not true, Daichi.”   
“Oh yeah? I’m glad one of us disagrees with me.” Hearing Daichi laugh the comment off like that made the pressure in Hibiki’s chest worse. It was not going to be easy to convince Daichi that he had done nothing wrong.

“I wanted to try and make a difference. Turns out, I can’t even do something as simple as deliver packages.” Daichi specifically went because he thought it would be easy. Was he not just a glorified mailman at that point? Yet, he still managed to come up empty-handed for his efforts, and the realization he could not make a difference no matter how hard he tried ate away at him.  
“Is that why you were so eager to go?”   
“Yeah, I mean… It’s not fair to put all the pressure on you. I can’t expect you to look after me all the time.” Hibiki did not have a problem looking after Daichi, but found it strange how he decided to word it like this. Daichi made as much of a contribution to their fights as Hibiki did. It was only harder to convince Daichi he had done a good job. Especially with how every accomplishment only seemed to be followed by another setback.   
“You can rely on me, Daichi. There’s nothing wrong with that.”   
“Haha, I guess I don’t have much of a choice…” There was virtually very little he could say to convince Daichi he was as amazing as Hibiki thought he was, but he tried his best regardless because God be damned, Daichi was not someone who deserved to feel awful over something that was out of his control.   
  
“You didn’t know they would attack.”   
“Yeah, well, neither did Airi and Jungo. They still turned out alright.”   
“Airi’s a ticking time bomb and Jungo’s the hulk. I don’t think they count.” Hibiki said it to lighten the mood, but judging by Daichi’s sullen expression, it must not have been taken as such. Jungo would have died had they not gotten an alert from Nicea, and Jungo was still a powerful ally. Anyone could fail. Daichi avoided looking Hibiki in the eye out of shame, and breathed out shakily almost to brace himself for some kind of confession.

“I worry that I’m going to get you all in trouble someday just by existing, haha...” His voice was shaky, and his arms instinctively folded across his chest as if to protect himself from an onslaught. Hibiki let one of his hands rest on Daichi’s shoulder, and gave him a gentle squeeze to get him to look him in the eye.

  
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.” Hearing Hibiki say that made his chest feel a lot warmer.   
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Though, he had to make sure Hibiki was not just teasing him again.   
“I’ll protect you,” Hibiki pulled away. “-on one condition. You have to protect me, too.” This almost sounded like an insult, but it was Hibiki he was talking to. Hearing Hibiki ask to be protected by him of all people? Daichi almost had the urge to ask him if he was losing his mind.   
“Uh, um… I’m not entirely sure what you’re getting at. Would I really make a difference here with you? Come on, be honest. It’s not like you were suddenly having a hard time without me.”   
“I missed you. Please don’t run off on mystery errands ever again, I need you here.” As much as Daichi thought Hibiki was joking with him, his tone really said it all. When Hibiki saw Daichi’s apathetic expression slowly change, he had a feeling his message came through to him.   
“...You really mean that?” The reassuring smile on Hibiki’s face set everything right. A thankful smile spread across his face naturally in return. If that was what Hibiki wanted, then Daichi would gladly be glued to him for as long as he’d allow it. When he noticed Hibiki had inched closer to wrap his arms around him, he took one step forward a little too eagerly and wrapped his arms around Hibiki first. He held him in a tight grip, and took comfort in the way Hibiki returned the hug equally as affectionately.  


“Thank you…” Hibiki could feel Daichi’s lips move against the soft fabric of his jacket. His voice was a little muffled, but he could still make out the words.  
“You’ve been thanking me a lot recently.”   
“I-I have? It’s not like it’s undeserved. I really mean it. You cheer me up so easily that I forget why I was upset in the first place.” It was only one of Hibiki’s many and mysterious superpowers. Daichi thought his own superpower involved something like wasting everyone’s precious time, because he had completely zoned out and forgotten how long they had stayed in each other’s arms. Hibiki was not making any move to pull away. All he did was rub Daichi’s back soothingly, only giving Daichi more reason not to break their hug.   
  
“Um, you should really go talk to everyone else…” He did not like the idea of giving Hibiki up just yet, but Hibiki was a good leader, and a team out there desperately needed his assistance.   
“They can wait for a while,” He had not expected Hibiki to be willing to stay in their embrace, but felt happy beyond belief when Hibiki hugged him tighter. Daichi would have punched the air with glee if it would not have forced him to let go of Hibiki. He bit his lower lip to stop himself from laughing. God, his cheeks hurt from smiling. How was it possible for a single person to make someone this happy?   
“Looks like our fearless leader is playing favorites~!” Hibiki adored the pitch of Daichi’s voice when he was this lively. He was back to his normal playful self again.   
“You’d be good in a leader role, Daichi.” That breathy laugh he did whenever he was embarrassed was probably one of his cutest traits.   
“M-me? No way man. I’m not cut out for that type of stuff.”   
“I think leader Daichi would get all the girls~”   
“Too bad leader Daichi doesn’t exist.” Hibiki raised his hand to cup Daichi’s cheek, and felt a small pinch of regret when he noticed Daichi tense up. Although, the fact Daichi did not pull away from the touch was enough for Hibiki to let his thumb gently caress his skin. Daichi had not tensed up because of Hibiki’s touch, but because of how he was looking at him.   
  
“Hibiki…” That smile, those eyes, it felt impossible to look away. “Are you-”   
“You had some dirt on your cheek.” Now, he felt like he misunderstood the intent behind that smile.   
“O-oh. Right. Why… else would you…” He mumbled quietly to himself. From Hibiki’s point of view, it almost looked as if Daichi was disappointed. In attempt to keep his hands on Daichi, he let his fingers comb through brown locks of hair, gently moving his hand in a slow fashion. There was some surprise to the touch, but Daichi had already gotten accustomed to the feeling of Hibiki’s hands on him. Daichi tried to keep himself from smiling when he examined how curiously Hibiki was eyeing his hair, and how carefully he was brushing his messy locks back. He felt like placing his hand on Hibiki’s chest, but hesitated, and let his fingers curl together rather than reach out.   
  
“Some dirt in my hair too?”   
“No,” Hibiki smiled and let his other hand run through Daichi’s hair as well, fingers gently pushing his bangs out of his eyes. “-you just have very soft hair.”   
“Oh, uh…um... thank you?” Daichi leaned into Hibiki’s touch. It felt so reassuring, so heartwarming to finally be back together in his company. He closed his eyes and took pleasure in the way Hibiki’s fingertips massaged his scalp, softly getting his fingers entangled in even more of his brown locks. It was almost unsurprising to feel Hibiki’s forehead lean against his. To think, if he had gotten captured and killed, he never would have experienced this familiar feeling again. The thought of losing Hibiki scared him more than anything else.   
  
He breathed out when he felt Hibiki’s hand return to his cheek, and adjusted to his touch more comfortably. They were close. Closer than they had been in a long time. Daichi was unaware when he started counting seconds, minutes even, but he continued to wait. What he was waiting for though was something he was unsure of.  
  


“I’m not sure what I’m expecting here, really. It feels like you’re…” His face scrunched up when he felt the back of Hibiki’s fingers slide up and down his neck in an almost hypnotic fashion. He was careful not to make a sound, but was so close to breaking his composure. The scent and touch of Hibiki was making a strange feeling bubble up in his chest.  
“Like I’m what?” Hibiki’s breath tickled his lips, and he could feel the heat between them suddenly grow more intense. He let his hands rest on Hibiki’s shoulders, mostly because he had nowhere else to put them. It was unmistakable. At least, Daichi was very sure of his answer with how close Hibiki was to him right now.   
“...L-like you’re going to... kiss me.” He could feel one of Hibiki’s hands move to the back of his neck.   
“Would it be so bad if I did?”   
“I-I’m not sure why you’d want to, but,” Daichi stuttered, his tone was serious and low. “-if… if that’s what you’re trying to do, then I’m…” They were so close that he accidentally ended up brushing against Hibiki’s lips as he was speaking, and Hibiki took it as an incentive to close the distance. Daichi softly let his hands slide over Hibiki’s shoulders until his arms were resting around his neck, pulling their bodies closer together. Maybe it was the stress of being on his own that gave him time to think, or maybe it was the fact that he could have died that stirred these feelings out of him. If he was going to die, he’d hate for the last thing he told Hibiki to be ‘I’ll bring you back souvenirs’. There was only one thing he was certain of, and that was that he really did not want Hibiki to let go of him right now. Daichi told himself he could figure out exactly what it was he was feeling later, much later. When their lips parted, he felt a unique feeling of relief that he never experienced before. All the negativity he was mulling over previously seemed to have evaporated into thin air.

“You’re surprisingly acquiescent.” Daichi’s eyes fluttered open as he pulled away.  
“W-what?” Hibiki smiled. It looked as if Daichi thought he had insulted him.   
“Compliant,” He enjoyed the small look of frustration on Daichi’s face.   
“Oh, pfsh, when have I ever not been?” It was a rhetorical question. Hibiki placed a finger and thumb on Daichi’s chin, and cocked his head back slightly.   
“Again?” That was probably also a rhetorical question judging by the way Hibiki closed his eyes and leaned in to initiate another kiss. Daichi met him halfway and pressed their lips together once again with a little more spirit. If he knew Hibiki was willing to kiss him and touch him like this, he probably would have told him much sooner.   
  
“S-so, you really think I’d fit the leader role, huh?” Hibiki placed a soft kiss on Daichi’s cheek.   
“I’d follow you anywhere,” Shivers ran down his spine, and he was taking a mental note to ask Hibiki to say that to him again when they had more privacy. He was not sure what it was, but hearing Hibiki whisper into his ear made him feel strangely tingly.   
“Geez, not embarrassing at all, haha,”

“Daichi, I mean it.”

“You know. I actually believe you. Only you would be crazy enough to follow me.” _Only you._

If only Hibiki could show him the Daichi 4 days from now.  


He’d be pleasantly surprised.


End file.
